Marine Centre weathers storm but still needs minor repairs

While Island Bay’s Marine Education Centre weathered last month’s storm well, there is still work to be done to repair some broken pipes.

No one has yet had a chance to survey the marine reserve, which is right outside the aquarium, so the storm’s impact on that is uncertain, says the centre’s discovery programme manager, Julian Hodge (left).

There was some cleaning up to do in the aquarium, and the help the community provided allowed it to reopen the following weekend.

“The community response was fantastic,” he says.

Now, the focus is on carrying on with the day-to-day work, showing school groups around the centre and taking care of the animals.

“We try to display the animals that would normally be seen at the right time of year, especially during breeding seasons.

“We’re constantly changing our exhibits, and we’re just about to introduce a range of education programmes for schools and colleges,” says Mr Hodge.

There are also plans to build a new marine centre, he says.

“The new project is still being discussed, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to make a positive announcement in the next couple of months.”